Part 14 (1/2)

The rebellious chiefs interchanged rove pressed closer upon the ring of Willa idly around it More than one weapon could be seen a thee of a terrible storrian to draw theh the crowd as they felt the crisis approaching

But Multno, and the circle of Willamette warriors were stolidly indifferent

”Can they not see that the tribes are on the verge of revolt?” thought Cecil, anxiously, fearing a bloody massacre

”You have heard the words of the rebel What have you to say? Let the white man speak first, as he was the last to join us”

Cecil rose and pictured in the coue, hich he had fa stay with the Cayuses, the terrible results of disunion, the desolating consequences of war,--tribe clashi+ng against tribe and their co on thee of insurrection listened reverently to the ”white wizard,” who had draisdom from the Great Spirit; but it did not shake their purpose Their own dreamers had talked with the Great Spirit too, in trance and vision, and had promised them victory over the Willamettes

Tohomish followed; and Cecil, who had known some of the finest orators in Europe, listened in amazement to a voice the most musical he had ever heard He looked in wonder on the repulsive features that seemed so much at variance with those melodious intonations Tohomish pleaded for union and for the death of the rebel It seemed for a moment as if his soft, persuasive accents would win the day, but it was only for a moment; the spell was broken the instant he ceased Then Snoqualave their voices for death Many of the friendly allies did not give their decision at all, but said to Multnomah,--

”You speak for us; your word shall be our word”

When the dissatisfied chiefs were asked for their counsel, the sullen reply was given,--

”I have no tongue to-day;” or ”I do not know”

Multnomah seemed not to notice their answers Only those who knew hi in his eyes that told of a terrible vengeance drawing near The captive waited passively, seeth all had spoken or had an opportunity to speak, and Multnoive the final decision Beyond the circle of Willamettes, ere still indifferent and unconcerned, the discontented bands had thrown aside all concealment, and stood with bared weapons in their hands; all murmurs had ceased; there was a deathlike silence in the dense ether for a forward rush,--the commencement of a fearful massacre

Behind it were the friendly Cayuses, but not a weapon could be seen a them The chief saw all; saw too that his enemies only waited for him to pronounce sentence upon the captive,--that that was the preconcerted signal for attack Now a some of the tribes sentence was pronounced not by word but by gesture; there was the gesture for acquittal, the gesture for condeht hand There was breathless suspense What would it be? Fixing his eyes on the ar, he clinched his hand anda blow It was the death-signal, the death-sentence

In an instant a deafening shout rang through the grove, and the bloodthirsty ed forward to the massacre

Then, so suddenly that it blended with and seemed a part of the same shout, the dreaded Willaht, the Willarove were on their feet, their blankets thrown aside, the weapons that had been concealed under them ready in their hands A wall of indorove At the same moment, the Cayuses in the rear bared their weapons and shouted back the Willaered The trap was sprung on them before they knew that there was a trap Those in front shrank back from the iron warriors of Multnomah, those in the rear wavered before the fierce Cayuses They paused, a swaying flood of huht between two lines of rock

CHAPTER V

SENTENCED TO THE WOLF-DEATH

The other, great of soul, changed not Countenance stern

DANTE

In thatthat showed the cold disdainfulness of his character as nothing else could have done He had given the death-sign; he had not yet told hohen death was to be inflicted He gave the sentence _now_, as if in utter scorn of the battle-cloud that hung quivering, ready to burst

”He would have torn the confederacy to pieces; let him be left bound in the wood of the wolves, and torn limb from limb by them as he would have rent the tribes asunder”

The tarriors who had brought the cri over his head and face, and led him away

Perhaps no custom of the northwestern Indians wasof the culprit's eyes froain were those eyes to behold the sun

Then, and not till then, did Multnoaze on the , hemmed in by the Willamettes and the Cayuses